Stephen wilson



(No Model.) I

S. WILSON, Jr;

SHOE FASTENING.

No. 400.812. v PatentedApr; 2,1889.

min/asses. Inwen'o'r.

N, PETERS, Phflmmhogmphur, walhingion. D. C,

IIN TED STATES P TENT QFFIcE.

STEPHEN IVILSON, JR, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGI OR OF ONE-HALF TO H. C. OONKLE, OF SAME PLACE.

SHOE-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 400,812, dated April 2, 1889.

Application filed June 22, 1888. Serial No. 277,915. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

1% it known that I, STEPHEN WILsoN, J r.,

of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelsection on the line 00 00, Fig. 2.

phia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shoe-Fastenings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

The present invention has for its object to provide an improved fastening for the ends of the lacing of shoes, whereby the necessity of tying or employing two lacings is done away with, and, further, to insure the retention of the tongue in proper position.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts to be hereinafter described, and pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the top of a shoe, showing my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a View of the preferred form of device. Fig. 3 is a View of the same before being bent into shape. Fig. 4: is a view of amodification. Fig. 5 is a Fig. 6 is a section on the line 1 y, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 shows the form of device preferably applied so as to envelop the upper edge of the shoe.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

The fastener is preferably struck up from sheet metal in the shape shown in Fig. 3- that is to say, with the fastening-points a disposed at proper points around the periphery of the body B and with the extremities or tongues A of the shape shown extending out to one side. A recess or concavity, l), is formed in the body B and a corresponding projection, c, in the tongue a, which, when the tongue is bent over into the position shown in Fig. 2, will lie within the concavity in the body, as shown clearly in Fig. 5, the two parts being somewhat nearer together at the bottom than at the top for the purpose of holding the lacing more tightly, as will presently appear. In the form of device illustrated in Fig. 7 the body is cut away somewhat at the top and the upwardlyextending fastening point a elongated and enlarged, being adapted to be bent over the top edge of the shoe, and the point driven outwardly through the top, preferably in position to clinch against the body B. The fastener shown in Fig. 4 is simply cut away at the top and the fastening-points somewhat differently disposed, all located at the top to facilitate application to the shoe. The tongue A in all the forms is bent over in proximity to the base, the side at f tapering down to an acute angle, the opposite side, g, being more curved, as sho wn clearly in Fig. 6.

At the top of the shoe where the lacing comes straight across to the fastener I provide the tongue with a hook, H, which hooks over the lacing and prevents the slipping down of the tongue, as will be readily understood. Were the ordinary mode of lacing employed, the hook could not be applied, as it would i11- terfere with the tying of the lacing, and if located. at any point save at the top would slide off to one'side, owing to the inclination of the lacings at such points.

I11 lacing up a shoe having my invention applied thereto the lacing after having been wound back and forth from the buttons on each side is passed under the hook H, and then pressed down between the body of the fastener and tongue, which, as before stated, are somewhat widely separated at the top to facilitate the entrance of the lacing. The curved open side 9 of the opening between the body and tongue prevents all chafing and wear on the lacing and the circuitous wedge shape of the opening formed by the recess in the body and the projection on the tongue, together with the sharp edges of the sidef of the fastener, preventing all liability of the lacing being pulled out or slipped along. The lacing is prevented from being pulled up out of the fastening by the recess and projection, which, it will be noted, taper down to a point as they near the bottom, thus permitting the lacing to move down readily, but offering a resistance to its upward movement. To heighten its efficiency, the projection may be corrugated, as shown in Fig. 3, if desired; or several projections and recesses may be emloyed without departing from the spirit of my invention.

It willbe noted that the fasteneris so shaped nd positioned as thatthe lacing when in poition lies parallel with the bottom line of the ongue and base, and that the V-shaped openng formed by the base and tongue, together rith the project-ion and recess, incline away min the edge of the shoe or toward the end f the lacing, any pull on the lacing thereby ausing it to wedge itself down more tightly lOi\\'0Ul1 the base and tongue, as will be readly understood.

Having thus described inyinvention, whatI :lainr as new is- 1. In a shoe-lace fastening, the combinaion, with the base rigidly secured to the shoe, it the tongue bent into proximity therewith, owning a V-shaped opening inclined away 'roni the ton gueopening of the shoe and idapted to hold the laein g, whereby a pull 011 he latter will tend to force it farther down nto the V-shaped opening, substantially as let forth.

2. In a shoe-lace fastening, the combina- -ion, with the base secured to the sl1oe.,and he tongue bent over into proximity therevith, forming the Vshaped opening, of the projection on the tongue and the corresponding recess in the base inclined away from the tongue-opening of the shoe, whereby a pull. on the lacing held between the tongue and base will tend to force the same farther down between the tongue and base, substantially as described.

3. I11 a shoe-lace fastening, the combination, with the base secured to the shoe and the tongue lying in proximity therewith, of the inclined longitudinally corrugated projection on the tongue and the corresponding recess in the base for retaining the lacin in position, substantially as described.

l. The combination, with a shoe having lacing hooks or studs and a fastening for the lacing on the side of the opening opposite and level with the top lacing-stud, whereby the lacing at the top will. be supported on each side at substantially the same level, of a hook on the tongue of the shoe engaging said top lacing intermediate its two supports for preventing the displacement of the tongue, substantially as d eseribed.

STEPHEN \VILSON, J11.

"Witnesses:

JosEPH FRANKISH, Jr., J OHN K. FRANKISH. 

